A New York man, originally from Belfast, was violently dragged
from his car and arrested by the PSNI police on Friday before
being released without charge the following day.

Sean Mackin was assaulted and bundled into an unmarked PSNI
vehicle while visiting his family over the Easter holidays. He
was taken into PSNI custody in their Antrim interrogation centre,
apparently for questioning regarding the 1983 killing of an RUC
man.

Originally from Belfast, now a resident of New York City, Mr
Mackin is a U.S. citizen who won political refugee status in a
landmark decision over a dozen years ago in the US courts.

In 1985 two men, one an ex-IRA hunger striker from County Tyrone,
were jailed for their part in the death of RUC Reserve Constable
Colin Carson.

In 1989, in connection to his deportation case in US courts, the
RUC and British Intelligence stated no cause to seek him nor to
question him on any charges.

Mr Mackin has visited his relatives in his home town of Belfast
many times over the years since he won his deportation case in
the US, the first of its kind.

He said Sinn Féin had been in contact with the US Consulate
regarding the matter.

``This action coming in the week when evidence of the Special
Branch involvement in various criminal activities including
murder was unveiled by Judge Cory is further evidence of the
influence of the old regime over current policing arrangements.''

It is also the second such development in a so-called `historic'
murder case in less than a month.

Three weeks ago, former INLA man Joseph Magee -- who successfully
fought extradition from the 26 Counties -- was charged with the
1992 killing of a British soldier and taken to Derby in England.

Under the Good Friday Agreement, anyone convicted of a scheduled
offence committed before 1998 will be entitled to apply for
immediate early release, as long as the organisation is on
ceasefire.

Irish republicans facing outstanding investigations or
prosecutions known as ``on the runs'' or OTRs are the subject of
ongoing negotiations. Under last year's Joint Declaration of the
Irish and British governments -- which was never implemented --
the status of OTRs was to be normalised.

Mr Mackin is well known in Irish-American circles as a dedicated
political activist and Friday's PSNI attack is being seen as a
gratuitous act of violence on a man who has worked to expose such
brutality.